The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-08-31
POISON IN HER TEA.
q Prima Donna's Adventure In Q
Queer Establishmsnt.

when l first went 10 Europe" said
Nine. Nevada to New York Mail cor
respondent the other day, ST studied
for three years in Vienna. and for, the
first few months boarded with q
woman who took advantage of my in
experience to impose on me in every
way possible; in fact, 1 paid a very
high price and was almost starved.
As l think of that place now
it makes me shudder. The mother
was a perfect old bag, who went
about the house IN q ragged old petit
coat, with her black hair tumbling down
over her face and shoulders in an IN
tidy mass, and pair of little rats eyes
reeping out at you from among the
yellow wrinkles. Really, the things
that used to take place in that family
are incredible. There were two grown
up daughters, and / would sometimes
enter the parlor and find one of them
sitting quietly under the piano. doing
nothing, apparently, and often l would
be awakened ct night by strange
sounds, screams, mems voices, threats
and oaths. l was only Is years old
at the time, and was too timid or
unsuspicious to say anything about
this, but the worst thing of all was the
food which they gave me. There was
never been able to eat. 1t was pork.
was ashamed to complain, but would
cover the piece on my plate with
potatoes or bread, and leave the table
almost famished. This went on for
some weeks, until finally became so
pale and weak that my teacher no.
ticed the change and asked me about it.
| told him how it was, and he said that
l must go home at once and order some
proper food. Well, at last I screwed
up my courage, and one day l said to
the servant that l had to sing at con-
cert that night, and wished her
to cook me beefsteak and
bring it to my room. The old
woman happened to be out at the time,
so succeeded in getting the steak, and
assure you ate 1t raVenously. Then
| started of for the concert congratulate
ing myself on having managed the
thing so well. However, 1 had no
sooner entered the house than the old
woman came hobbling up to me, seized
me by the arm, forced me into corner,
and commenced abusing and insulting
me in the most abominable way. l was
so terrified that l forget my timidity
and managed in some way to tear my
self from her, and to rush to nay room,
where l bolted the door, and then
sank down on the floor in hYster-
les. Finally grew calmer and began
to think out what | had better do. It
was already past midnight, but l COM
mencsd packing up my things at once,
resolved to leave the house at daybreak,
At about 8 o'clock in the morning fell
asleep from sheer exhaustion, and l
dreamed that 1 saw the old bag stand
ing by the stove in the kitchen making
some tea. l followed each one of her
movements and at last saw her fill a
cup from the teapot and carry this in
her hand to the cupboard. There
she reached up to a high shelf
and took down a bottle marked
poison from which she poured a
few drops into the cup. Then she put
the bottle away carefully and came up
stairs to my room, carrying the tea, and
knocked at the door.
AT this point l awoke with an awful
fright, and at once looked at my clock:
it was just 6, and the day was breaking.
l arose, bathed my face, and was about
to resume my packing, when there came
knock at my door. asked who was
there, and high, piercing voice. which
! recognized only too veil, replied;
1T is l, my dear. I have brought
you a cup of tea; open the door It
is needless to say that did not do it.
She continued knocking, and begged me
to let her in, but of course | refused.
Then she threatened me, and poured
forth the foulest language l have ever
heard, and at last she came back to
persuasion, saying, and can never for
get. her words, I am here on my knees
like dog, and l implore you only to
taste this tea which have for you.'
You can imagine what state 1 was
in by this time. l was perfectly
desperate, and, after waiting for two
or three hours listening and hardly
daring to breathe, cautiously
opened my door and made a rush for
the street. There were three fights OF
stairs to descend, and at the bottom of
the second one 1 met the old woman,
glaring at me like a fiend. 1 don't
know how ever did it, but in some way
was given the strength to push her out
OF the way, aud escaped, leaving her
stretched at full length on the floor"
And what happened after that?" 1
asked.
"Oh, simply got an officer to go
there and carry off my things. OF
course, had no interest in,,putting the
woman in prison or anything of that
sort; but don't You call that a case of
warning?"